Catalina IslandConservancy

Better Tuna Fishing Methods

Believe it or not, most tuna species have been heavily fished, some almost to extinction. Like the huge Bluefin. They're considered the most majestic of tunas...and they're prized for gourmet sushi.

What's more, three quarters of the world's tuna is caught with fishing lines that trail 60 miles behind boats. They're punctuated with hooks that also snare turtles, sharks, and birds. This creates a bloody mess called "bycatch."

Deep water tuna farms aren't much better. There's no limit on the number of tuna a farm might take from the wild to their underwater holding pens.

But there's good news. The Marine Stewardship Council is an independent global organization, formed to protect marine life from overfishing and bycatch. They certified one tuna fleet in San Diego, California, called the American Albacore Fishing Association. The fleet relies on slower methods, like fishing with poles, to catch tuna one at a time. That makes catching them harder, but more sustainable in the long run.

It's a process that could keep us from having to say "Sorry, Charlie" to tuna for good.